• Arch Orthop Trauma Surg · Apr 2024

    Treatment of cartilage defects in the patellofemoral joint with matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte implantation effectively improves pain, function, and radiological outcomes after 5-7 years.

    • Martin Eichinger, Benjamin Henninger, Benjamin Petry, Philipp Schuster, Elmar Herbst, Moritz Wagner, Ralf Rosenberger, and Raul Mayr.
    • Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, a.ö. Bezirkskrankenhaus St. Johann in Tirol, Bahnhofstraße 14, 6380, St. Johann in Tirol, Austria. martin.eichinger@khsj.at.
    • Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2024 Apr 1; 144 (4): 165516651655-1665.

    IntroductionThe aim of the present study was to evaluate midterm outcomes 5-7 years after matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) in the patellofemoral joint.Materials And MethodsTwenty-six patients who had undergone MACI using the Novocart® 3D scaffold were prospectively evaluated. Clinical outcomes were determined by measuring the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) values preoperatively and 3, 6, and 12 months, and a mean of 6 years postoperatively. At the final follow-up, the Magnetic Resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue (MOCART) score was evaluated.ResultsTwenty-two patients with 23 focal cartilage defects (19 patella and four trochlea) were available for the final follow-up. The mean defect size was 4.0 ± 1.9 cm2 (range 2.4-9.4 cm2). All clinical outcome scores improved significantly until 5-7 years after MACI (SF-36 score, 61.2 ± 19.6 to 83.2 ± 11.6; P = 0.001; IKDC score, 47.5 ± 20.6 to 74.7 ± 15.5; P < 0.001; and WOMAC, 29.8 ± 15.7 to 8.2 ± 10.3; P < 0.001). The mean MOCART score was 76.0 ± 11.0 at the final follow-up. Nineteen of the 22 patients (86.4%) were satisfied with the outcomes after 5-7 years and responded that they would undergo the procedure again.ConclusionMACI in the patellofemoral joint demonstrated good midterm clinical results with a significant reduction in pain, improvement in function, and high patient satisfaction. These clinical findings are supported by radiological evidence from MOCART scores.Level Of EvidenceIV-case series.© 2024. The Author(s).

      Pubmed     Copy Citation  

      Add institutional full text...

    Notes

    hide…